Loyalists in Belfast missing a trick.?

Watching the news on the rioting in N.I. Aibu in thinking the loyalists could turn the whole flag raising and lowering business to their advantage? Nobody really notices a flag up everyday iykwim but one hoisted for special occasions would get more attention. They could get the bugle out ,like Ypres,and have a cake and pictures for really special days like Earl of Essex' B.D.

We left after the Omagh bomb, and were delighted to go. We live in France now with two dcs. When we drove off the ferry at Larne last July my ds said "Oh paradise!". They love NI with a passion, and have made me see it through new eyes - the loveliness of the people, the gorgeous countryside, the fantastic amenities, the stacks of things to do with dcs ( check out the grim reality of living in France with youngs dcs on the Living Overseas thread).

For anyone in Belfast - there is a peace gathering tomorrow at 12:30 outside City Hall. I was at the last one and it was great - lovely atmosphere, people from all walks of life, loads of families etc. There was no intimidation, other protestors etc. If you're around, you should think about coming down. At the end, there's a 5 minute non-silence - the silent majority making themselves heard.

Apostropheuse I think they were planning to do it to make a point. They see them asking another country to remove their flag as no different to people whose allegiance is to another country (ie nationalists in NI) asking them in Belfast to remove theirs. I heard ROI doesn't fly their flag all the time though and it won't actually be up this weekend!

I see people's points about this thread being depressing, but have also seen some really positive contributions too. I hadn't heard about Operation Sit In and am really thrilled that people are taking positive actions. A couple of my relatives have jobs in Belfast City Centre, I want to thank you for doing what you can to help them.

At least someone there had the sense to cancel the march in Dublin. I just don't understand why a unionist march in Dublin?

I suppose it's no different to the orange walks in Glasgow though. I wish Glasgow City Council would have the guts to ban the orange walks there. The vast majority of people (I'm sure in Ireland as well as Scotland) don't want them. They want to live their lives peacefully with their neighbour, go out to work, pay the bills and raise their family.

Instead of this they're terrorised by these total eejits - on both sides of the divide.

Ok. To me, letting mob rule win would be to not do it at all. And it's not like it was an 'in case' really, is it? Everyone knew what was going to happen, might as well schedule it for the convenience of the rest of the population.

Because the whole idea of postponing incase people decided to riot if it didn't "go their way" is in my opinion letting mob rule win. The number of days the Union flag is flown is already limited in other NI cities, nobody was out rioting then.

Wigglesrock I see your point, but I think the people whose businesses have suffered and who might lose their jobs because of the protests probably care quite a lot. I agree that it's perfectly legitimate for democratically elected reps to do what they were elected to do. Just wish things could have been timed in a way that didn't arse up the local economy quite so spectacularly. The one doesn't have to preclude the other. I don't see how leaving it a month amounts to being afraid.

I freaking love Belfast. Just back from the pub for operation sit in - people avoiding tonight's protests by going out for drinks/food and spending money in city centre businesses who've suffered during the flegs saga. Had a lovely Friday night drink or two when normally I would've just gone home. Not many other cities where people would react like that I reckon.

Oh, and definitely come top the titanic museum, you'd be extremely unlucky to even see anything bad, never mind actually be affected.

See this is what drives me insane - we can't just keep our heads down and try not to upset those who are eejits enough to block roads, ruin peoples businesses.

Who cares if changing the flag was a red rag to a bull? It was a decision made by democratically elected representatives. That is the way forward, not - being afraid of change incase those as thick as champ decide to riot and throw all their toys out of the pram.

No way was there flag waving and celebrations in Dublin after 9/11. Shock and sorrow yes. The president of ireland at the time made a very emotive speech. I didn't vote for her but she did capture the (irish) public mood at the the time . Appalled at some of the comments on this thread

Thought it was stupid to change flag arrangements. Like a red rag to a bull. Ffs things had quitened down in the North. Now i wouldn't visit NI to see Titanic exhibition as i had planned - wouldn't feel safe. What a shame.

I know that all of you have replied to me are right. I was just trying to correct one small item.I was trying to make the point that history isn't that much use to use. Moaning about the past when bad things were done on all sides won't help now. We should be concentrating on the now.

My grandad also fought for England during WW1. He and his brother were in the Connaught Rangers.

They were not in dire poverty, they were from the well educated middle classes, who enlisted/were recruited on the promise of Home Rule after the fighting. They were lied to. Churchill was a hate figure in our house...

Hence why the regiment rebelled in India when martial law was imposed in Ireland, and was disbanded on the creation of the Irish Free State.